Financial implications of defeat are hard to bear for United

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IT HAS BEEN ALMOST A DECADE SINCE Manchester United had to face the consequences of failure to progress to the knockout stages of the Champions League. In 1996, the club were publicly listed and had the rigours of accountability to shareholders to contend with, but this time the cost of defeat by Benfica could be greater as Malcolm Glazer, the new owner, attempts to make his recent purchase add up.

The immediate impact of £2 million in lost income that would come with a loss on the pitch in Lisbon is only the start of it. The year-on-year impact of